Safety in Solitude
by CloveHGRue
Summary: Taking a break from the school Logan rescues a young girl and promises to take her to the school. Her powers are immense but even she doesn't know what they are. What trouble has Logan dragged the school into this time? And what is the girl's link to Logan's shrouded past?


Technically she shouldn't have been in there. But everyone was so focused on the fight that they didn't notice or really care. She sat at the bar and asked for just a coke, hoping that the bartender wouldn't notice that she was too young to be there. Picking up her coke she swung her tattered backpack over her shoulder and hesitantly moved closer to the cage. As she approached a man was dragged half conscious out of the cage and she stared at the man who must have done the damage. He stood on the opposite side of the cage leaning against the wire. He must have been a superb fighter as his lack of a shirt revealed that he had not a mark on him. He was tall with dark hair and although he was leaner than some of the men in the bar he looked incredibly strong.

"Who will dare to challenge THE WOLVERINE!?" the announcer yelled and a huge man stepped up clearly an arrogant asshole as he made a show of cracking his knuckles menacingly as all his 'drunk off their asses' buddies cheered him on. She watched mouth agape at the quick work the so called "Wolverine" made of the challenger. The big man had got several brutal looking punches in early on but the Wolverine man just absorbed the blows, looking more and more pissed off after each one. Finally he seemed to have had enough as he caught the mans punch in mid flight and had him out cold on the floor in two blows. As the chubby man announced him as the winner, the "Wolverine" turned rolling his neck and his eyes locked with hers. It was like she was being x-rayed by the stranger and she quickly looked away. She didn't know for sure but she had a pretty good idea of what he was.

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About and hour later the bar was nearly empty aside from herself, the bartender and two figures sat talking in low voices at the back. She had ordered another coke but wasn't drinking it, instead she sat stirring it with a straw thinking about the had to be...  
>... as though her thoughts were magnetic the man in question sat down a few seats away and ordered a beer. he had only taken one drink however when the two men from the corner stalked over to him.<p>

"I want my money." one said simply, and she saw that it was the man whom had been beaten in the last round. The wolverine coolly ignored him taking another drink.

"No one takes a beating like that without a mark to show for it. I know what you are!" he hissed into the Wolverine's ear and the man in question said quietly

"You lost your money. Keep this up I'll make sure you lose something else."

For a moment it looked like the man was finally going to back off. That was until he pulled the knife. She heard a voice scream "look out" at the Wolverine, before realising that it was her own. At once Wolverine twisted around, knocking the blade away and producing three of his own as he pinned the guy to the wall. She watched in amazement as three shiny metallic claws sprung from the Wolverine's (and the name made perfect sense now) knuckles. There was a clicking sound and after looking round quickly she muttered to the Wolverine

"on your back"

The man tilted his head saw what she meant. The bartender had drawn out a shotgun from behind the counter and had it aimed straight at the Wolverine's head.

"get out of my bar freak!" he said a little shakily. But a second later he was more than shaking but terrified when a second set of claws sprang out and sliced the gun clean in two. After another tense second, he retracted the claws and stalked out of the bar. After debating internally for a moment she snatched up her bag and ran out of the bar after him.

She turned corner after corner trying to find where the Wolverine man had gone. She had known what he was and she needed him. it took her three streets to gather that she was being followed and they were no longer being subtle about it. She had given up on finding the mutant man and her only aim now was to find some shelter away from the three sets of footsteps behind her.

"Hey baby, where you goin?" a voice called out and she forced herself not to break into a run. That would only encourage them she was sure, however she did speed up a little. The jeers and catcalls continued louder and louder. it was only when one shouted

"You're gonna be sooo much fun babe!" that she threw caution to the wind and ran. But running without any real idea where you're going is always a bad idea. She discovered this a minute later, after turning a corner to find herself in a dead end alley. She heard the footsteps stop at the entrance of the alley and whirled around.

"Whyd'ya run from us sweetheart we just wanna be nice?" said the one in front as he strolled forwards, snatching up her right wrist and pulling her hood down at the same time. Suddenly his cocky smile dropped as he looked from her wrist to her face, before yanking her around to face his friends.

"it's that bitch from the bar. She warned the mutant guy. Told ya she was one to!" he snarled angrily waving her wrist around, the dim street glinting of the metal band on it. Then forcing her to face him he growled "You thought you could help your little muttie friend out without answering for it freak!?"

Out of nowhere his other fist shot up colliding with the side of her head and she screamed out as she fell to the floor. She could do nothing except shield her head and neck as kicks and blows rained down on her. Finally after what felt like hours the blows subsided and she was rolled onto her back, vision blurring as a large and clasped round her throat. her whole body ached and her hands- for some reason her hands felt like they were burning.

"You know, you're lucky you're a mutant bitch. Instead of having some fun with you, you just get to die, alone." the first mans voice taunted as he slowly cut of her air supply. black spots danced in front of her eyes as everything slowly went black. had she been conscious should would have seen all three men being thrown to the floor, bleeding from various slice marks on them. She would have felt it when a pair of muscular arms lifted her up. She might have known that the stranger carried her to his vehicle placed her gently inside and drove away from the scene.

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The first thing she saw as her vision came back to her was the battered ceiling of what looked like a trailer home. Blinking rapidly she tried to sit up, panicked at the unfamiliar surroundings, but there was a colossal pain in her head and neck. Suddenly two strong hands wrapped themselves around her wrists and her panic levels shot up as she struggled against whomever was restraining her.

"Woah, woah, calm down, calm down. It's ok, i'm not gonna hurt you I promise. ssh sssh calm down." Slowly the pain in her head subsided ever so slightly and her vision cleared. It was the Wolverine who held her wrists. Slowly, falteringly she stopped fighting and finally he let go. Immediately she scooted up the bed towards the wall of the trailer, arms wrapped protectively round her knees out of habit. The Wolverine seemed to get the message and backed up a little to give her space.

"Wh-what, wh-why why did you-"

"That guy nearly killed you and I wasn't about to leave you alone. If I had it could of gone three ways one, you freeze to death, two some other mutant hater would have come along and finished you off or three, there would have been some 'accidental' mix-up at the hospital and you would have ended up in a body-bag." he said simply though his tone drifting towards disgust at the end."

There was a pause as she didn't know what to say, until quietly she whispered

"Thanks Mr."

"Don't worry about it kid. And the names Logan ok. What's yours?"

She didn't answer seeming unable to speak and there was another awkward pause.

"Well, I guess I shouldn't bother you anymore, I'll le-" but he cut across her

"You can stay if you want. There's a school, not to far from here actually about a day away, they help mutant kids ya know. They teach you all the normal crap but they show you how to control your powers and shit. I can take you if you wanted..." he trailed off expecting her to turn him down and bolt out of the door. he didn't know what made him do it. maybe it was because she wasn't much younger than Marie had been when he'd picked her up a year ago. or maybe it was the fact that she looked so fragile that he was pretty sure that if he let her leave she would be dead in a day and then the action of saving her would have been for nothing.

"Just to this school right?" she mumbled, not meeting his eyes. "What if they can't help me?"

"Then they can look after you or you can go your own way. But trust me this lot don't like to give up on people. This guy Xavier..." and here he flashed a rare half smile half grimace "..he really gets in your head you know. it's hard to say no to him."

After another agonizing pause, in which she seemed to be calming herself and steadying her nerves, she finally nodded. Eyes closed and jaw clenched she nodded in agreement to let him take her to the school. Even the prospect of this short journey seemed to terrify her but he didn't argue.

"get some sleep." he muttered as he stood up and walked towards the door, preparing to get back in the drivers seat.

"Carter. My name's Carter." she whispered after him.

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><p>Thought i'd give this a go.<p>

Geronimo xx


End file.
